


Sweaty Hugs

by ManiasNotebook



Series: Hugs & Kisses: Valentine's Day 2021 [1]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Dorks in Love, F/M, Female Reader, Good Boy Sakamoto Ryuji, Reader-Insert, Valentine's Day Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-09
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-16 05:00:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29944839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ManiasNotebook/pseuds/ManiasNotebook
Summary: And after all he’s put you through... he still wants a prize for winning the race.
Relationships: Sakamoto Ryuji/Reader
Series: Hugs & Kisses: Valentine's Day 2021 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2202294
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	Sweaty Hugs

He won the race. Of course, he did. He’s Ryuji.

That makes him the same Ryuji that swore up and down that he could only win if you were there in the crowd, cheering him on. You wanted to say no. You really, really did want to say no. You wanted to say “forget about it” and stay inside the dorms where you can be warm and comfortable and _away_ from the frigid temperatures of mid-February. After all… who wants to spend Valentine’s Day watching boys be boys when you can sit in your room all day, watching rom-coms and eating Valentine’s Day candy you bought for yourself while dreaming of a boyfriend to cure your singleness. But he’s Ryuji. And as enticing as your previous Valentines Day plans were, one look at his pouting face is enough to send shuffling to your closet, pulling on layer after layer, and following him to the track field.

_Curse you, Ryuji._

He’s panting as he approaches you- his shoulders slumped forward and chest rising and falling in the most dramatic of ways. He meets your eyes and sends you another one of his goofy grins that exposes the sharp point of his canines. Even though you’re still a little annoyed with him for dragging you outside in the middle of February to watch him race his track mates, you can’t help but smile back at him. 

He stopped only a few feet away and shoved his hands in his track pants’ pockets. You wonder how he can even stand being in the cold in nothing but a cotton t-shirt and a pair of pants before your eyes catch note of just how sweaty he is. You never doubt his skill as a runner. It’s the whole reason why he’s in America right now, studying at your university on a track scholarship as a Japanese transfer student. But watching him run has always made it look so easy. You have a hard time remembering that running is still an exercise- no matter how effortless he makes it seem.

“So?” He peers at you. His brown eyes are blown wide with excitement, and you can see him start to fidget. Not a good sign for you. “Where’s my prize?”

“Your prize?” You repeat, eyebrows furrowed. The smile on his face drops in a way where you can tell he’s about to start messing with you. Fake pouting and using slang he probably shouldn’t know just to play around and try to get a laugh out of you. 

“C’mon, don’t I get a prize?” He groans in that signature, slightly-accented voice of his, a playful grin teasing on his lips despite the frown he’s desperately trying to keep on his face. “I did win, ya know?”

You shoot him the most unimpressed look you can give him while shivering in your two sweatshirts and windbreaker. He matches your look with a shrug as he runs his hand through his hair, making his tousled hair even messier. You can’t help but eye his arm as he raises it- his muscles involuntarily flexing. The sight makes your breath catch in your throat and wipes the look off your face in seconds. You forgot how toned he was after weeks and weeks of being bundled up in winter clothes. The rest of his track uniform, you note, is sticking to his skin too- making his athletic figure more pronounced than it should be. Now that his season’s starting up again, you’re going to have to get used to seeing more and more of his body soon- and fast.

“Right, right, right…” You trail off, trying to capture your composure before he has another reason to tease you. If he wasn’t so cute and sweet and silly, you would have dropped him a while ago. It’s not like he has you wrapped around his finger or anything, right? “Hmm… what does the champion want, hmm?”

The grin he sends you is so devilish that you swear you can feel your heart-melting

_Not wrapped around his finger, my ass._ You think to yourself glumly. _He’s got me under lock and eye, and he doesn’t even know it._

“Let’s see…” He muses, grabbing his chin in comedic effect. You roll your eyes at him but he immediately responds by wiggling his eyebrows back at you. You couldn’t help but let out a slight laugh at his behavior. You almost instantly regret it as you watch his smile grow impossibly wider and tap his cheek. “Hmmm…How ‘bout a kiss from my favorite cheerleader, eh?”

“No.”

“Damn!” The genuineness of his curse immediately sent a couple of more giggles tumbling out of your lips. You didn’t know what he was expecting, but apparently, it wasn’t a flat-out rejection. As much as you liked him- he did drag you out into the cold on a holiday. There’s not a drop of sympathy in your heart for that right now.

“Sorry,” You teased. It was your turn to shrug as you watched a pink tint adorn his cheeks. “Any other ideas?”

“Aw shit…” He turned his head away from you, a sheepish smile tugging on his lips as he reached up and scratched the back of his head. “Rejected… and on Valentine’s Day too.” 

It was cute- seeing him get all embarrassed and worked up after having so much confidence and swagger was endearing. It was so endearing you almost teased him about his sudden “fall from grace” until your eyes traveled downward. In raising his arm, the bottom of the shirt lifted up and showed a sliver of his abs. It’s not like you hadn’t seen them before! You had seen him shirtless a couple times too! However, you couldn’t help but notice how it’s been a while since you’ve seen his chest. You swear that whatever you did see looked a little more defined than the last time. You swallowed, suddenly feeling hot despite your many layers.

It’s only after a couple seconds of silent thought, does he turn to you with a sudden shyness you’re not used to seeing in him. “…how about a hug instead?”

You made a face. “Sweaty.”

“Chikushō!" _Oh shit._

You roll your eyes and shake your head playfully while watching him groan complaints in his native language before you decide to close the gap between the two of you. Three steps. Two steps. One-step- and yet he doesn’t recognize just how close you are until your arms are wrapping themselves around his shoulders. He draws in a sharp breath, standing frozen as you lay your head against his chest. It was beating so fast, you would have thought he was still in the race. 

It takes a little bit, but he slowly wraps his arms around your waist and rests his head near your neck. The movement is slow and awkward but adorable nonetheless. You couldn’t help but smile as he let out a quiet cheer against your skin. He’s still sweaty and gross, but it doesn’t bother you as much as you thought it would. Besides- it selfishly gives you a chance to feel just how strong he’s gotten over these past months of training by himself. But beyond that, his excitement is contagious, and his body provides a warmth you weren’t expecting. You don’t mind it. Not one bit.

That’s why it’s a split-second decision that has you pulling out of his grasp for just a second. A confused noise is barely able to escape his throat before your lips are pressed lightly against his cheek. And before he even knows it- you’re back in his embrace as if you never left in the first place.

“Hmm…happy Valentine’s Day, champion.” You hum, eyes slipping close as you enjoy your own personal heater imported from Japan. He stutters and stammers in a strange mix of Japanese and broken English, but you just giggle in response to his outburst.

If you stayed in your dorm, you would have been warm but lonely. But right now- you’re somehow warmer than you’ve ever been in your life. 

And you can’t seem to remember what it feels like to be lonely. 

_Ever again._


End file.
